How to sculpt a fox

How to make an armature

-    Use a small double-thick canvas as the base for your sculpture

-    To increase the strength and flexibility of your tie-wire, twist it around itself to effectively double its thickness

-    Bend the thickened wire to shape using the downloadable template above

-    Cut the plan out and puncture the position where the dots are to find the position of the holes

-    Place the wire through the holes, holding them with pencils to make sure they sit in the middle of the base

Mixing Plaster of Paris

-    Mix plaster into water following the instructions on the packaging (it should end up the consistency of pancake batter!)

-    Elevate the prepared canvas on tubs so the wire hangs freely then fill the canvas with plaster

-    This technique helps ground our fox so we can make it look like it’s in motion!

-    Allow the plaster to set

-    Once cured, cut the wire and remove the pencils

Shaping the armature

-    Adjust the angles of each leg using measurements from the printout

-    Mark where the bends go using poster tack or something sticky but easy to remove

-    Bend the legs back horizontally to form the shoulders

-    Tape the shoulders together and bind them tightly with tie-wire

-    Pack out the armature with aluminium foil and tape it into position

How to model clay

-    Condition the clay and roll it to a thickness of 6mm using a clay press or roller

-    Cut the clay into a shape that roughly fits your fox and model it around the body

-    Smooth it out to fill the form

-    Create a small ball for the head and smooth it on

-    Bake at 130°C (266°F) for 45 minutes

Sculpture details

-    Once cooled, add details using the 4 views printout from our website as a guide

-    Pack clay onto the legs tightly in the rough shape, using more clay than needed

-    Refine the muscle and bone shapes with a hobby knife

-    Ensure there’s no air between the clay and the armature

-    Slowly refine the sculpture by carving away small bits, looking at it from all angles

-    Pack clay onto the head and shape it

-    Ensure the snout is short and the eye sockets are deep

-    Give the fox a squinting look as it’s usually found in sandy environments!

-    Don’t forget to add paw pads to the underside of the feet

Clay fur

-    Roll out a thick sheet of clay for the ears, and cut them roughly to shape

-    Blend the ears onto the head using a ball tool and the end of a paintbrush

-    Use a pin tool to suggest the coarse fur texture

-    Take note of the direction of the fur in different places and where there is less fur

Final bake

-    Bake the fox once more, following the instructions on the packaging

-    And voilà! Your sculpted fennec fox is complete